Indiana forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea will miss five more games after the NCAA upheld his nine-game suspension. / Brian Spurlock, US Presswire

by Terry Hutchens, USA TODAY Sports

by Terry Hutchens, USA TODAY Sports

The nine-game suspensions for Indiana freshmen Peter Jurkin and Hanner Mosquera-Perea have been upheld. The two players will not be in uniform for Indiana until the Dec. 15 game against Butler.

Indiana learned the news Friday afternoon. Tuesday, the school had appealed the suspensions while in New York for the Progressive Legends Classic.

It's a disappointing blow for Tom Crean and the top-ranked Hoosiers.

Indiana is thin up front with the two suspensions plus the knee injury to veteran forward Derek Elston. The team was hoping it could get Jurkin and Perea eligible and back in the lineup Sunday for a home game with Ball State at Assembly Hall.

The two freshmen learned just before the season opener with Bryant that they had been suspended for nine games (the equivalent of 33 percent of the regular season) for receiving improper benefits while playing AAU basketball for Indiana Elite.

The reason the benefits were improper was that the NCAA had determined that their coach, Mark Adams, qualified as an Indiana booster because he donated a total of $185 to the program from 1986-92.

Jurkin and Perea accepted approximately $6,000 and $8,000, respectively, in impermissible benefits from Adams, including plane tickets, meals, housing, a laptop, cell phone and clothing.

In Friday's decision the NCAA said while the initial donation provided the red flags with Adams' booster status, it believes that "recent interactions reinforce his unique access and continuous involvement with the men's basketball program.''

According to a press release by the NCAA, Adams "signed financial aid documents required for two former IU basketball student-athletes in 2008 and 2010. Further, Jurkin and Perea lived with the booster in Bloomington, Ind. during multiple summers. Indiana University also provided the booster, who is a nonscholastic coach, with permissible, complimentary men's basketball tickets.''

What the release doesn't mention is that Adams was Perea's legal guardian at the time.

Attempts to reach Indiana officials were unsuccessful.

The school has suspended the relationship with Adams until July 1, 2013.